ptain was very grave; and as for the passenger, he was frightened out
of his wits. Still we laughed, because we had heard nothing ourselves,
and thought that it must only be fancy on their parts, particularly as
the captain used to _bowse his jib_ up pretty taut every night. Well,
all went on very well; we arrived at the Rock, got our fresh provisions
and vegetables, and then made sail again. The captain complained of no
more noises, and Jim of no more eyes, and the whole matter was almost
forgotten."

Here the narrator was interrupted by the thumping of a hand-spike on the
deck above. "Halloo! what's the matter now?"

"Come, tumble up, my lads, and pump the ship out," said the mate from
above; "we had almost forgotten that. Be smart, now; it's but a ten
minutes' job."

Thus broke off the story, much to my annoyance; but it could not be
helped--ships must be pumped out--so the men went on deck, and I
followed them.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

"RECOLLECT," SAYS THE FELLOW, "YOU HAVE THROWN OVERBOARD A BLACK TOM
CAT!"

In a quarter of an hour the pump sucked, and we all hastened down below
to our grog and the completion of our yarn. As soon as we were all
comfortably seated as before, Dick recommenced.

"Well, we were abreast of Malta, when the weather, which had hitherto on
the voyage been very fine, changed. The clouds hung down very heavy,
and there was every symptom of a fierce gale; and sure enough a worse
gale I never was in than came on that night--and such a sea!--the ship
rolled gunnel under, for the gale was fair, but the sea ran so high and
so fast that we expected to be pooped every minute. It was about
midnight when the rain came on in torrents, and the wind blew fiercer
than ever. I was on deck, and so was the first mate and another man at
the helm, for we were flying right before it, and she was hard to steer.

"`We shall have it worse yet,' said the captain.

"`_Miaw_!' was the reply, so clear, so loud, we could not tell where it
came from. I thought it came from the main-top.

"`Mercy on us! what was that?' said the first mate, the light from the
binnacle showing his face as pale as a sheet.

"`_Miaw_!' was the reply from somewhere.

"`The black cat, by all that's blue!' cried the captain.

"`The Lord have mercy upon us, we're all gone!' said the mate, clasping
his hands in terror. To clasp his hands, of course he let go the wheel;
and the other man, who was equally frightened,